Is the Valletta to Pozzallo (Malta to Sicily) crossing rough?
Sometimes, sharply. Valletta to Pozzallo crosses the open Malta Channel in about 1 hour 45 minutes on Virtu Ferries' Saint John Paul II, a large high-speed catamaran running at around 38 knots. Speed is the product and mostly it works; when a sirocco or gregale raises the channel, a fast catamaran ride turns emphatic, and schedules bend around the worst days.
Malta Channel, central Mediterranean · about 1 hour 45 minutes · Reputation among passengers: mixed: commonly reported as uncomfortable in the wrong conditions.
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
Roughness summarises typical reported conditions on this route, not a forecast for any given sailing.
An open channel crossed at 38 knots
Key facts
- The Valletta to Pozzallo (Malta to Sicily) crossing takes about 1 hour 45 minutes, operated by Virtu Ferries.
- It crosses the Malta Channel, central Mediterranean, and passenger reports place the route in the moderate roughness band.
- What drives the rough days: An open channel crossed at 38 knots.
- Conditions are reported roughest in January, February, November and December.
- The calmest months are usually May, June, July and August.
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Why the Valletta to Pozzallo (Malta to Sicily) crossing gets rough
The Malta Channel is open water with nothing to windward in either of its two bad directions: the sirocco brings humid southerly wind and sea from Africa, the gregale a cold north-easterly blow, both mostly in autumn and winter. A catamaran at speed meets their short steep seas with rapid pitching rather than a slow roll. The ship is big for its type, which raises the comfort ceiling but does not remove the physics.
When it's worst, month by month
May to September is mostly settled and the crossing routine. October to March holds the sirocco and gregale days, when sailings are re-timed or occasionally cancelled and the rough rides happen.
| Roughest water in Jan | Roughest water in Feb | Roughest water in Mar | Roughest water in Apr | Roughest water in May | Roughest water in Jun | Roughest water in Jul | Roughest water in Aug | Roughest water in Sep | Roughest water in Oct | Roughest water in Nov | Roughest water in Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rough | Rough | Mixed | Mixed | Calm | Calm | Calm | Calm | Mixed | Mixed | Rough | Rough |
Typical seasonal pattern, not a forecast. Any month can deliver a calm crossing or a bad one. Check the marine forecast for your sailing date. Select a month to see every sea and ferry crossing ranked for it.
Month bands: Dizzout sea-state data for the Valletta to Pozzallo (Malta to Sicily) crossing, built from the reports and sources listed on this page. Free to cite with a link to this page.
Where to be on board
Front to back
- Front rowsAvoid
- Central, low deckBest
- Rear rowsOK
The crossing: about 1h45
Roughest stretch: The open channel, most of the crossing
Central seats on the lower deck ride the catamaran's pitching best; the forward lounges amplify it.
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What helps on this crossing
- Check the wind forecast: sirocco and gregale days are the ones to re-book if you can.
- Sit central and low, eyes up; the crossing is short enough that seat choice covers most of it.
- Skip the pre-boarding pastizzi on a windy day; less than two hours passes fine on a light stomach.
- If your sailing is re-timed for weather, take it as the operator doing the seakeeping maths for you.
- Dizzout, a drug-free sound therapy app for passengers: it works with any headphones once nausea starts, with relief in about 90 seconds.
For the full toolkit see the seasickness guide, or what to do once it has already started. Choosing between a fast catamaran and a conventional ship elsewhere too? The physics is the same everywhere: see the catamaran guide. If the rocking follows you ashore afterwards, that is land sickness, which is normal, and it passes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Malta to Sicily ferry rough?
On the many settled days, no: it is a fast, efficient 105 minute hop. In autumn and winter, sirocco or gregale winds raise short steep seas in the open channel, and the catamaran's speed turns them into a bouncy ride; the operator adjusts or cancels sailings on the worst days.
How long is Valletta to Pozzallo?
About 1 hour 45 minutes on Virtu Ferries' high-speed catamaran Saint John Paul II, one of the larger fast catamarans in the Mediterranean, crossing at around 38 knots.
When is the Malta Channel calmest?
May to September. The named winds that roughen it, the southerly sirocco and north-easterly gregale, are mostly autumn and winter visitors, and the summer channel is usually a flat, fast run.
Should I take a seasickness tablet before the catamaran?
If you are prone and the forecast is windy, that is worth a pharmacist's or doctor's advice rather than a guess. Note the timing rule: motion sickness medicines are generally labelled for use before boarding, and this crossing is under two hours.
Other ferry routes
Sources & further reading
Your next question, probably
Where on the ship should you be?
Which cabins move least, and what to do if you already booked one
Not your question? What actually works at sea?Sick right now, mid-crossing?Still rocking after you land?
Conditions described here are typical patterns drawn from published marine and operator information as of September 2026, not a forecast: any month can deliver a calm crossing or a bad one, and schedules, vessels and operators change. Route, vessel and operator names are trademarks of their respective owners; Dizzout is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Seasickness sensitivity varies from person to person; this page is informational and not medical advice.